Railway
In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 'slash and burn' agriculture is known as:
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Answer: Option A — Dipa
Detailed Solution
In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, shifting cultivation (slash and burn agriculture) is locally known as "Dipa". It has been practised by some indigenous communities of the islands in forest clearings.
What is slash and burn agriculture?
It is the oldest form of farming, in which a patch of forest is cleared by cutting (slashing) the trees and bushes and then burning the dried vegetation.
The ash fertilises the soil, and crops are grown for a few years.
When the soil loses its fertility, the farmers move to a new patch of forest, leaving the old one to recover. This is why it is also called shifting cultivation.
It is mainly a subsistence activity, using simple tools and family labour.
Indigenous peoples of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands:
The Andaman Islands are home to Negrito groups such as the Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa and Sentinelese, who were traditionally hunter-gatherers.
The Nicobar Islands are home to the Nicobarese and the Shompen (in Great Nicobar). The Nicobarese grow coconuts, areca nuts and fruit trees, and the Shompen are forest-dwelling hunter-gatherers and horticulturists.
Several of these communities are classified as particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs).
Regional names of shifting cultivation in India:
- Jhum: north-eastern states (Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and others).
- Podu or Penda: Andhra Pradesh.
- Bewar or Dahiya: Madhya Pradesh.
- Valre or Waltre: south-eastern Rajasthan.
- Kuruwa: Jharkhand.
- Kumari: Western Ghats.
- Khil: Himalayan region.
- Dipa: Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Names in the Americas and Africa:
Milpa (Mexico and Central America), Roca (Brazil), Conuco (Venezuela) and Masole (Central Africa).
Problems:
When population grows and fallow periods become shorter, the forest cannot regenerate, leading to deforestation, soil erosion and loss of biodiversity. On islands, where land is limited, these effects can be severe.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Jhum is the name used in north-eastern India.
- ✗Podu is the name used in Andhra Pradesh.
- ✗Kumari is the name used in the Western Ghats.
Quick tip
Remember: Dipa = Andaman and Nicobar; Jhum = north-east; Podu = Andhra Pradesh; Kumari = Western Ghats; Kuruwa = Jharkhand; Bewar = MP; Valre = Rajasthan.
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Agriculture in India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Agriculture in India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers agriculture in India: cropping seasons (kharif, rabi and zaid), major food and cash crops and their leading producer states, irrigation, the Green, White, Blue and other agricultural revolutions, and allied activities such as animal husbandry and fisheries. Questions usually ask which crop belongs to which season, which state is the largest producer of a crop, and which revolution relates to which product. For example, the White Revolution relates to milk and was led by Verghese Kurien, and the Blue Revolution relates to fisheries. Producer rankings can change from year to year, so check the latest data for those questions. Practise the agriculture in India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.